To you, your cutie is just fabulous. You adore her every gesture, look and new development. But you may wonder sometimes if this loving feeling is reciprocated, especially when you’re utterly worn out from rounds of late night feeds. Is it worth it?

Don’t worry, it is! She may not be able to say it in words, but here are nine ways your baby shows you’re pretty special to her.

She is happy to see you You probably saw her first smile around the age of six weeks. Since then, her cherubic face lights up whenever she sees you. Your appearance brightens up her day considerably.

She settles when you soothe herYour little one cries when she is distressed. And yet you are usually able to calm her. You have this positive effect on her because she loves you. Your attention helps drive away the tension that causes her to cry.

She cries when you leave the room What greater proof that she loves you than when separation anxiety kicks in? If your baby had her way, chances are she’d insist you stay by her side all the time. She is relaxed with you.

She lets you change her Very quickly, you realise that your baby is totally comfortable with you changing her. She doesn’t become upset or resist when you swop her dirty diaper for a clean one, or when you bathe or dress her. In fact, she actually enjoys that shared experience.

She stares into your eyes Whenever you feed your baby, look at her closely – you’ll notice her loving look as she drinks milk. As far as she is concerned, at that moment, you are simply the best person in her world.

She cuddles up to you when you hold her Cuddling is a two-way process. Watch how she rests in your arms – she snuggles into your body as much as she can. She reciprocates your loving touch by making gentle physical contact with you in her own way.

She sleeps in your arms You wouldn’t be relaxed and comfortable enough to fall asleep in the arms of someone you didn’t care for. Neither would she. Your baby shows her affection for you by lying against you, and nodding off. You make her feel so safe and secure that she is lulled into sleep.

She laughs in your company The sound of her chuckling is terrific. She finds everything you do such fun and giggles happily when you try to make her laugh. And when she does, you laugh in response. That form of genuinely reciprocal laughter is another way your bub is displaying her affection for you.

She thrives with your attention Think about how much she has grown and developed in the last few days, weeks or months. The change is amazing. But that didn’t just happen by chance. She responds positively to your loving attention, and this constant progress is another sign that the deep bond flows two ways.